Barak Defends Plan to Assassinate Saddam: "Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak defended an Israeli plan to assassinate Saddam Hussein in 1992, breaking his silence on an operation that was canceled after five Israeli commandos were killed during a dress rehearsal. (AP)"

Attacks Decline in the Iraqi City Samarra: "After emerging as one of the worst trouble spots for U.S. forces in Iraq, the violence in Samarra tapered off this week amid raids by American troops and calls by Muslim clerics for insurgents to halt attacks that lead to civilian deaths. (AP)"

Turkish court charges man in bombings: "An anti-terrorism court Friday charged a Turk with an offense amounting to treason after authorities said he acted as a link between al-Qaida and suicide bombers in attacks that killed 62 people in Istanbul last month."

The Aftermath: ""It started about 3pm in Fallujah. From the time it was announced that Saddam was caught, until about 3pm, everyone was astonished. There was no reaction, just waiting, to see if it was true. There was a rumour that he was seen in Fallujah, so people went out cheering. Explosions started, people demonstrated in the streets, with lots of heavy firing till midnight, rockets, RPGs." Jo Wilding writes about the reaction of Iraqis to Saddam Hussein's capture."

A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq: "As of Friday, Dec. 19, 460 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. Of those, 315 died as a result of hostile action and 145 died of non-hostile causes, the department said. (AP)"

Saddam, Libya Announcements Boost Blair: "In less than a week, Prime Minister Tony Blair has had two big moments in the international spotlight, going public first with important good news for him and close ally President Bush. (AP)"

Ex-Atty. General Would Aid Saddam Defense: "Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark said Friday that he would be willing to provide legal counsel to Saddam Hussein if the ousted Iraqi leader requested Clark's assistance. (AP)"

Ex-atty. general would aid Saddam defense: "Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark said Friday that he would be willing to provide legal counsel to Saddam Hussein if the ousted Iraqi leader requested Clark's assistance."

Anti-Bush Iraq Documentary Makes the Party Circuit: "In the midst of a film industrycrackdown on digital movie piracy, filmmaker Robert Greenwaldis urging rampant, unauthorized copying of his documentarycriticizing the Bush administration's reasons for invadingIraq. (Reuters)"

War in Iraq Voted Top Story of 2003: "The "major combat" phase was over in six weeks, but the war in Iraq - from its tumultuous prelude to a still-active insurgency - was in the global spotlight throughout the year. (AP)"

Democrats Press Rumsfeld for Halliburton Records: "Democratic lawmakers pressed DefenseSecretary Donald Rumsfeld on Friday for records that could shedlight on a draft audit that found Halliburton may haveovercharged the U.S. government by $61 million for fuel itshipped into Iraq. (Reuters)"

Mideast 'road map' architects to meet: "The architects of the "road map" to Palestinian-Israeli peace hope to meet early next year to press for its implementation, the European Union's top diplomat said Friday."

Why did the West lend so much to Iraq?: "Iraq is swamped by more than $120 billion in debt that clouds its economic future. Where did it come from? Why did so many Western democracies, including the United States, lend so much money to President Saddam Hussein? What happens now?"

Saddam's Daughter Cried at Dad's Capture: "Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter said she broke down and cried when she heard news of her father's capture, adding in an interview that TV images of a disheveled Saddam beamed the across the world were meant to "break the spirit of Arabs." (AP)"

Saddam's daughter cried at dad's capture: "Saddam Hussein's eldest daughter said she broke down and cried when she heard news of her father's capture, adding in an interview that TV images of a disheveled Saddam beamed the across the world were meant to "break the spirit of Arabs.""

Truck blast wounds two soldiers in Iraq: "A roadside bomb exploded near a U.S. military truck outside Baghdad on Friday, wounding two U.S. soldiers, the military said, while an Iraqi woman died as another blast hit the office of a major Shiite party."

U.S. warns Israel on imposing solution: "The United States warned Israel against imposing a solution if peace efforts remain stalled, and the Palestinians called Ariel Sharon's ultimatum unacceptable."

Saddam's arrest brings humiliation debate: "Was he an Arab hero or a dictator? This is the question being debated in newspapers in the Middle East and by Arab intellectuals faced with the image of a bearded, bedraggled Saddam Hussein in the hands of American captors."

Saddam's Arrest Brings Humiliation Debate: "Was he an Arab hero or a dictator? This is the question being debated in newspapers in the Middle East and by Arab intellectuals faced with the image of a bearded, bedraggled Saddam Hussein in the hands of American captors. (AP)"

Blast Hits Office of Iraq's Shiite Party: "A predawn explosion Friday at an office belonging to Iraq's major Shiite party killed one Iraqi woman and wounded five others, witnesses said. It was the second attack this week on the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution Party. (AP)"

Sharon probes removing some settlements: "In an extraordinary shift of Israeli politics, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the leading patron of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, is talking about dismantling some of them."

Turkey captures man suspected in bombings: "Turkish authorities have captured a Turkish man suspected of planning last month's deadly truck bombings in Istanbul after meeting with Osama bin Laden, an intelligence official said Friday."

Blast hits office of Iraq's Shiite party: "A predawn explosion Friday at an office belonging to Iraq's major Shiite party killed one Iraqi woman and wounded five others, witnesses said. It was the second attack this week on the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution Party."

Reserve Unit awaits OK to use steel armor: "Fearing roadside bombs and sniper bullets, members of the Army Reserves' 428th Transportation Co. turned to a local steel fabricator to fashion extra armor for their 5-ton trucks and Humvees before beginning their journey to Iraq earlier this month."

Blast Hits Office of Iraq's Shiite Party: "Rebels killed a U.S. soldier in the first fatal ambush for the U.S. military since the capture of Saddam Hussein last weekend. The violence continued Friday, when an explosion at office belonging to Iraq's major Shiite party killed one Iraqi woman and wounded five others, witnesses said. (AP)"

U.N. to Meet With Iraq Council, Coalition: "Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday called for a Jan. 15 meeting of the key players in Iraq to pin down what role they want the United Nations to play as the country moves from U.S. occupation to a democratically elected government. (AP)"

Blast hits office of Iraq's Shiite party: "Rebels killed a U.S. soldier in the first fatal ambush for the U.S. military since the capture of Saddam Hussein last weekend. The violence continued Friday, when an explosion at office belonging to Iraq's major Shiite party killed one Iraqi woman and wounded five others, witnesses said."

Reserve Unit Awaits OK to Use Steel Armor: "Fearing roadside bombs and sniper bullets, members of the Army Reserves' 428th Transportation Co. turned to a local steel fabricator to fashion extra armor for their 5-ton trucks and Humvees before beginning their journey to Iraq earlier this month. (AP)"

AP: European Militant Network Shut Down: "Authorities in Europe have shut down a network that recruited at least 200 Islamic militants to carry out attacks on U.S.-led forces in Iraq, Italian investigators told The Associated Press. (AP)"

U.S. warns Israel on imposing settlement: "The Bush administration is warning Israel it will oppose any effort by its longtime ally to simply impose a Mideast settlement, saying a joint Israeli-Palestinian process remains the best chance for peace."

U.S. says catching bin Laden difficult: "Al-Qaida suspects are being interrogated. Afghan and Pakistani villagers are being courted. Troops and unmanned aircraft are poised to strike. But finding Osama bin Laden remains enormously difficult, much more so than capturing Saddam Hussein, say American intelligence officials, lawmakers and analysts."

Americans advised on leaving Saudi Arabia: "Nonessential American diplomats and the families of all U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia should leave, the State Department said Wednesday, stepping up its warnings about risks in the country."

Saddam's Last Stand: "What was it like in that hole where Saddam Hussein spent his last moments as a free man? Scott Pelley takes you to the site where Saddam was found and talks to some of the people behind his dramatic capture."

Baker Gets Support on Iraq From Italy: "President Bush's envoy to Iraq received support Wednesday from Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi for a plan to relieve Baghdad's huge debt burden, adding another European nation to the list supporting the U.S. goal. (AP)"

Lawmakers Urge Iraq Relations With Israel: "The Bush administration should try to ensure that the next Iraqi government has diplomatic relations with Israel, two U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday while visiting the Jewish state. (AP)"

U.S. Hunts for Militants North of Baghdad: "Using sledgehammers, crowbars, explosives and armored vehicles, U.S. forces smashed down the gates of homes and the doors of workshops and junkyards Wednesday to attack the Iraqi resistance that has persisted despite the capture of Saddam Hussein. (AP)"

ADL poll rates U.S. attitudes on Israel: "Some 43 percent of Americans believe Israel is a threat to world peace, according to a poll presented Wednesday by a Jewish group, but many more are concerned about North Korea, Iraq and Iran."

Baker gets support on Iraq from Italy: "President Bush's envoy to Iraq received support Wednesday from Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi for a plan to relieve Baghdad's huge debt burden, adding another European nation to the list supporting the U.S. goal."

Lawmakers urge Iraq relations with Israel: "The Bush administration should try to ensure that the next Iraqi government has diplomatic relations with Israel, two U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday while visiting the Jewish state."

Lawmakers Urge Iraq Relations With Israel: "The Bush administration should try to ensure that the next Iraqi government has diplomatic relations with Israel, two U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday while visiting the Jewish state. (AP)"

A Daily Look at U.S. Deaths in Iraq: "As of Wednesday, Dec. 17, 457 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. Of those, 313 died as a result of hostile action and 144 died of non-hostile causes, the department said. (AP)"

The Wilsons’ son, Command Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Wilson, is in Iraq. It was their daughter-in-law calling, but the news was good.

Soldiers had captured Saddam Hussein, and their son was a big part of it.

“Cathy called us between 4 and 5 o’clock Sunday morning,” Nellie Wilson said. “She said, ‘Mom, I’m not sure, but I’m almost sure that Larry was involved. When they started talking about the 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Brigade, I knew he had to have been involved. He is the command sergeant major.’

“Then she talked to him later on. He had seen Hussein when they took him out of the hole. That $750,000 you heard about? He was part of the team that put that on the vehicles to be taken away. I am very, very proud of him.”

Lawrence Wilson entered the Army from Aberdeen in February 1977. He married the former Cathy Williams of Southern Pines. Both are graduates of Pinecrest High School.

Wilson is command sergeant major to the 1st Brigade Combat Team. His commander is Col. James Hickey.

“He and Col. Hickey were right there with all the guys,” Cathy Williams said in a telephone interview Monday. “It is awesome. The kids are going, ‘Dad made history!’ I am so proud of them.”

To keep Saddam’s capture secret, the Army interrupted e-mail and telephone communication.

“He called me in the afternoon when the phones finally would work and he could get through,” she said. “I congratulated him, and of course he played dumb with me and pretended he didn’t know what I was talking about. Then he had a good laugh on me. I asked him who was in on it, and he told me. He is just really proud of the guys.”

The brigade had been conducting raids and other combat operations around Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit since April. The region is filled with his supporters

They questioned Saddam loyalists. Every capture added to the division’s store of knowledge.

A five-hour raid Dec. 4 in Tikrit brought in lower-level supporters, but not the chief man of five families who comprised the heart of Saddam’s protection. Wilson and Hickey learned he had escaped, fleeing to the nearby ancient town of Samarra.

Another Army unit then carried out a raid there. They captured several men and found $1.9 million in cash, but not the potential informant Hickey sought.

“The capture of Saddam started on the 12th of December with the capture of a individual who was very close to Saddam,” Wilson said. “The individual was questioned about the whereabouts of Saddam, and he stated he knew of two places where he might be.”

Hickey sent for the man.

“These two places were 15 minutes west of Tikrit, so he was flown to Tikrit where he was questioned more by Special Operation forces,” Wilson said. “He got here on the 13th of December and Colonel Hickey was called sometime mid morning about this informant and the information he had.”

Just before noon, they learned Saddam was possibly in an underground bunker in one of two locations.

“Once Colonel Hickey knew of this, he informed Major Reed, our operations officer, to send warning orders to G Troop 1-10 CAV (the recon troop for Wilson’s brigade combat team), our 299th Engineer Battalion, and our 4th Battalion 42nd Field Artillery for a possible raid in Ad-Dawr for HVT 1 — High Value Target Number One: Saddam Hussein,” he wrote. “We started making the plan for the raid and developing a time line.”

Saddam was thought to be in or near one of two farmhouses near the town of Ad-Dwar, a few miles from his birthplace in Uja. One of his most trusted aides, Izzat Ibrahim al-DouriAd-Dwar, is from Ad-Dwar.

The two houses were on the banks of the Tigris, opposite one of many palaces where Saddam used to come to swim. Saddam took refuge here before coming to power, staging operations in the 1960s against an Iraqi government he would later overthrow.

Troops secured a two-square-kilometer area around the houses.

“Colonel Hickey had a briefing with the special operations force to insure we were good and to set a time line,” Wilson wrote. “The 1st Battalion Combat Team was to go into Ad-Dawr with the special operations forces to capture Saddam.”

They code-named the houses Wolverine One and Wolverine Two.

“The command group was made up of Colonel Hickey, Major (Bryan) Reed, myself, our drivers, three Humvees and two Bradley’s with three-man crews.”

The command team left their forward operating base at 6:30 p.m. to link up with the forces.

“The 299th Engineers Battalion would secure the west side of the Tigris River to ensure no one crosses the river,” Wilson wrote. “We also had attack helicopters (64 Apaches) on standby if we needed them, call sign Viper. The special operations forces also had helicopters. They would secure the targets by air to ensure no one escaped their target areas.”

At the link-up site there would be two Special Pperations forces, G troop (divided into two platoons), the command group and a command element for special operations forces.

“The two assault forces were made up of one Special Operation forces team and a platoon from G troop,” Wilson wrote. “The other assault was made up of one Special Forces team and another platoon of G troop. The assault teams would depart at the same time, which was 1930 [7:30] and would close on Wolverine 1 and Wolverine 2 by 2000 [8:00]. The command and control group would follow behind the assault forces.”

By 8:15 p.m., some 20 to 30 Special Operations troops equipped with night vision goggles and laser-aimed weapons had Wolverines One and Two, but not Saddam.

Soldiers spotted two men running from another house about 200 yards away. The men were arrested, and a search of the area began.

Between the farmhouses was a small walled compound, soldiers found a metal lean-to and a mud hut.

One soldier noticed a white rug lying oddly on the ground nearby. Pulling it aside, troops found a mud- and dirt-covered lid made of foam plastic.

They pulled it up, peering into the dark shaft beneath, preparing to throw in grenades. A man appeared to be lying on the floor at the bottom.

Could he be one of the two most wanted men on earth? Their call came to Wilson’s command unit.

“At 2015 [8:15], we received a radio message from the assault team on Wolverine 2 stating that they might have Saddam and they would confirm ASAP,” he said.

The Green Beret at the top shouted down, “Who are you?”

A bearded, bedraggled man crawled out, raising his hands.

“I am Saddam Hussein; I am the president of Iraq, and I’m willing to negotiate,” he said in English, according to Reed.

“President Bush sends his regards,” a soldier replied.

“At 2026 [8:26], they confirmed that they captured Saddam and were preparing him to be moved to a secure area in Tikrit by OH 58 helicopter,” Wilson said.

He and Hickey saw Hussein secured and helicoptered south within the hour.

“The soldiers who executed this raid are great Americans and soldiers,” Wilson wrote. “These brave soldiers are sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers and sisters. These soldiers are your silent heroes and I’m telling this story for them.”

Since the end of major combat, his brigade made more than 500 raids.

“It has been a long and hard eight months, and the capture of Saddam is a sweet victory,” Wilson wrote. “Yes, we congratulated each other with handshakes, slaps on the backs and a ‘You did a great job.’ I have been a soldier for over 25 years and I love the Army, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, the 4th Infantry Division. But most of all — I love the soldiers.”
The Pilot Newspaper - Local News

A Truck loaded with explosives rammed into a small bus and exploded near a Baghdad police station today, killing at least 10 people, an Iraqi deputy minister said. Earlier reports said at least 17 people, and possibly as many as 22, had died. The blast happened early today in Baghdad's Bayya'a district, police said. Two cars nearby were destroyed in the blast. Ahmed Kadhim Ibrahim, deputy interior minister, said the death toll was 10 and that the truck was speeding towards a police station, but collided with a bus in the way. Bassem Naiem, a policeman at the scene, earlier put the toll at 22, but authorities later revised the toll.

Taking a harsh view of the inability of quarreling members of the Security Council to endorse military action in Iraq, Mr. Zebari said, "One year ago, the Security Council was divided between those who wanted to appease Saddam Hussein and those who wanted to hold him accountable.

"The United Nations as an organization failed to help rescue the Iraqi people from a murderous tyranny that lasted over 35 years, and today we are unearthing thousands of victims in horrifying testament to that failure."

Truck Bombing Kills at Least 10 in Iraq: "An explosives-laden truck speeding toward a police station collided with a bus at an intersection before dawn Wednesday, killing at least 10 Iraqis amid a surge of violence since the weekend arrest of Saddam Hussein. (AP)"

Israeli official wants W. Bank withdrawal: "Israeli vice prime minister on Wednesday stepped up his calls for a sizable withdrawal from the West Bank, urging a clear "separation" between Israelis and the Palestinians."

Rumsfeld Ponders Getting Saddam to Talk: "Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sounded intrigued when asked how to get Saddam Hussein talking to his interrogators. "Does he have any interest in his family? ... I don't know," Rumsfeld told reporters Tuesday, ruminating about the possible pressures that could be applied to the former dictator. (AP)"

Iraq's Minister Says U.N. Failed His Nation: "Iraq's foreign minister accused the United Nations on Tuesday of failing to rescue his country from Saddam Hussein's 35-year "murderous tyranny." He urged the world body not to fail Iraq again and to return to help build a democratic nation. (AP)"

Bush: Saddam deserves ultimate penalty: "President Bush said Saddam Hussein deserves the "ultimate penalty" for his crimes, but he faced objections from Europe, the United Nations and the Vatican, which are adamantly opposed to the death penalty."

Rumsfeld ponders getting Saddam to talk: "Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sounded intrigued when asked how to get Saddam Hussein talking to his interrogators. "Does he have any interest in his family? ... I don't know," Rumsfeld told reporters Tuesday, ruminating about the possible pressures that could be applied to the former dictator."

I'm sending this to you because you must have a soldier over there or have a
close friend or family member over there. The rest of this letter will be
posted on my website today. I know the email is long but I think it is
really important that you read it entirely. - Frankie

The news of Saddam Hussein's capture in our media is driving a general
belief that the war in Iraq will soon be "over". The troops have conveyed
to me that this means that there will be an increase of attacks against our
troops and the Iraqis who support us there. I've never taken any political
stance on the war in Iraq and I have supporters in Washington DC who are
both Republicans and Democrats. I have never made what I do about politics.
I'm a simple person who believes in my heart that people are good and that
if you ask them to help they will. The only reason I am posting this is to
let you know what I found out.

Firstly, I have been in contact with our troops in Iraq for over many months
now. Many of our soldiers, sailors and marines email me and tell me how
difficult the job is and how thinly they are spread out. They are being
deployed for longer periods of time. My family and I had the wonderful
opportunity to go to Washington DC when my son Chris was home on an 8-day
leave from Iraq. We got to meet with Senator John McCain of Arizona and
Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. I got a small lesson on the politics of the
war and I listened to everything that was said. Senator McCain's position
is this:

"The push to increase is legitimate. Actually, Senator McCain has been
pushing to increase troop numbers for more than six years. The
administration is opposed, and DoD (at least the civilian leadership like
Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz) insists that we have enough soldiers. This will be a
huge issue this coming year. I think that there will be significant effort
in the coming year to put an increase in the FY-05 Defense Authorization
bill."

I have been worried about all of the National Guard that have written to us
telling us how much of a hardship it has been to them and their families -
long deployments since 9/11 and in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of our
regular Army troops are not going to re-enlist and are counting the days
until they ETS out of the Army.

The supplies that the National Guard units have are sparse compared to
regular Army units and I have even sent supplies to National Guard units in
the USA who are deploying. If the military was getting our troops what
they need, why then would I have to be sending 2000 air conditioners, over
4000 space heaters, new combat boots to our troops in Iraq? I ask you if
the system worked - why am I here and why do our troops not have what they
need? I was told on the phone by a representative of US Army Community and
Family Support that all of the free internet access for our troops is
sitting in warehouses in Kuwait because "we have no one who will go into
Iraq and install it". Here is a link that shows where our soldiers in the
101st Airborne Division installed 233 computers with Internet access for
Iraqis in Mosul when our soldiers have to pay for internet access and phone
calls home. I ask you Why?
====================

MOSUL, Iraq - A 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) program to provide
computers to the employees of Mosul City Hall made its final contribution
Thursday, bringing the total number of computers donated to more than 230.

The project has been in effect since September, and the last of the 233
computers were installed Thursday by Chief Warrant Officer Carrie McLeish
and Master Sgt. Paul Franks, automation technicians for the division's G-6
office. The team has been in charge of installing new computers and the
Internet in several buildings in Northern Iraq, including the University of
Mosul and the Oil Ministry of Nineveh Province. Coalition Forces have spent
more than $150,000 on the project.

Every computer in Mosul City Hall donated by the 101st was also hooked to
the Internet, offering better global communication than the workforce there
has ever had access to. The project consequently will also allow Coalition
Forces, as well as leaders from smaller cities and villages outside Mosul,
to communicate with the governor of Nineveh Province, Ghanim al-Basso, whose
office is in the city headquarters.

"This will allow Coalition Forces to communicate with the governor of
Nineveh and it also allows the governor to communicate with citizens outside
Mosul," McLeish said.

Soldiers also installed Microsoft XP and Office XP to each computer.
"Microsoft XP is a lot better than [Microsoft 2000] in its Arabic
translation," McLeish said, "So it's pretty useful to a lot of the workers
here."
Concurrent with the donation of computers and software, soldiers have also
been training a group of Iraqi citizens to maintain the computer system
after the division redeploys. McLeish said the three main targets for
training are web page upkeep, basic computer skills and networking
proficiency.

"We want to educate people on what Coalition Forces are doing here in Iraq,"
McLeish said. "We want to stop misinformation about what our goals are here
and provide Iraqis with a bigger picture. This is a big step."
-------------------------------------------------------

I would like you all to think about this issue because I do hear from the
troops themselves and I'm telling you they say, they are too few and are
being asked to do so much. I just don't understand why we can't increase
our troop strength and why it has to be about if we are supporting the
President and the current administration or not. All I know is that our
troops need us right now and they need a voice.

I saw an important part in the Stars & Stripes article I've pasted below and
this is it:
"Tauscher's bill is co-sponsored by 25 House Democrats, but the lawmaker
said she anticipate gaining bipartisan support when Congress returns Jan.
20."

My second point is this: I am contacting my members of Congress and my
Senator to ask them to support an increase of troop strength - because I
know the troops need help.
If I have offended you by posting this I am sorry. It is just so important
to me because I hear from the soldiers themselves that I posted it in the
first place.

As you celebrate the holidays, please think about what you would want for
our American soldiers, sailors, air force and marines. They are the ones
with their lives on the line for us to be able to exercise our right to make
changes in laws and to have the freedom we enjoy everyday. I thank God for
our troops every day.

Here linked is an official letter (see my website www.operationac.com and
click on OPAC News to see the actual letter it will be up by 5pm eastern
time today) from the Army where they say they do not need any more air
conditioners from our organization. I would hope that we as Americans hold
them to their commitment to have these ECUs (Environmental Control Units) in
place by next April 2004. I hope and pray that not one soldier dies of
heat stroke like so many others did in the heat of the last Iraqi summer.

I am going to continue, with your support, in getting ANY supplies,
including air conditioners to our troops in Iraq and I plan to use a private
carrier to get them to Baghdad. I ask you all to please hold our military
leaders at the Pentagon responsible and make sure the right thing is done
for our troops.

ARLINGTON, Va. - House legislators want U.S. military leaders to beef up end
strength in the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force in the next five years with
a stop-gap measure to relieve strain on both active and reserve element
forces.The lawmakers are not calling for a boost in the Navy.

U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D- Calif., introduced a bill in the House of
Representatives on Tuesday, calling for an 8 percent increase in troop
numbers across the three services.
The measure would increase the Army's active force end strength from 482,400
to 522,400; the Air Force from 359,300 to 388,000; and the Marine Corps from
175,000 to 190,000.

But the military leadership isn't clamoring for more troops, Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday during a press briefing. "If at any
moment there was an analysis that suggested one of the services was too
small, obviously we would recommend an increase in it," Rumsfeld said. "We
just don't have that kind of analysis at the present time. And I don't
believe anyone else does."

Four of the Army's 10 active duty divisions will be rotating back from Iraq
next year, and sticking to reconstituting timelines, would not be
combat-ready for roughly six months.

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed Rumsfeld's
assessment that no more troops are needed. When asked if the military would
be ready to handle another conflict, Myers said: [T]hat's an unqualified
yes."

The Congressional Budget Office has not analyzed the anticipated cost, but
the Army portion alone would cost roughly $1 billion a year, said Tauscher,
a member of the Armed Services Committee. "We understand it's expensive, but
frankly, it's about priorities."

The military should brace itself for a possible mass exodus of disenchanted
guard and reserve forces, she said, and more active duty forces could
mitigate the blow.

"We are deeply, deeply concerned, not only for the readiness of troops
rotating out of Iraq and Afghanistan but we continue to be concerned, and
frankly deeply worried, that we are creating irreparable harm to our guard
and reserves by these extended deployments."

The increase of forces also would provide "the cushion we need in number and
readiness should we find ourselves in a situation" of another conflict, she
said.

Tauscher's bill is co-sponsored by 25 House Democrats, but the lawmaker said
she anticipate gaining bipartisan support when Congress returns Jan. 20.

Deployed commanders don't want more soldiers on the ground, Army Chief of
Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker said during a Dec. 3 conference at which he and
other top military's leaders spoke.

"There is no commander in Iraq or Afghanistan that is asking for more
people," Schoomaker said. "We constantly are in dialogue about what the
requirements are over there, and there's nobody who's asking for a bigger
force over there; they feel they have the force that's required."

Under the presidential directive, 1 million reservists can be mobilized for
up to two years; "and we're not anywhere near that," Schoomaker said. "Right
now, we're mobilizing 40 percent of the reserve component."

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee said before adding more forces,
U.S. leaders should consider the long-term picture.

"The way I look at the battlefield is this what we're going to be doing
five or 10 years from now?" Hagee asked. "In other words, have we arrived at
a point where we're going to have forces spread throughout the world [in]
the Sinai, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan?"

Adm. Vern Clark, the chief of Naval Operations, said he is pursuing less end
strength. "I'm going after less end strength [because] that's where I'm
going to get resources to recapitalize" the Navy, he said.

"Two dynamics are at play," said April Boyd, a Tauscher spokeswoman. "The
reason for no Navy increase is that they are trying to reduce their number
of ships; less ships equals less people. Also, there are pilot programs
under way to further reduce manpower requirements on ships."

However, the Army "has a more immediate problem" than adding end strength:
finding ways to tap all of its personnel for deployments before it tackles
the large job of adding more, Schoomaker said.

"One of the major things that we're doing right now is mining the structure
that we have and mining it to get it in balance so we can access to the
force structure we're paying for, and making sure it's ready and available
to us," he said, calling the current Army personnel structure "bankrupt."

If the Army can't find ways to get full use out of the reserves, "we're
going to have to spend a premium on the most expensive option," adding more
end strength, he said.

"We may end up coming up having to ask for more force structure," Schoomaker
said. "But I am not prepared at this time to give up on the fact that we're
making quite a bit of headway right now" in finding ways to better manage
the force.

The following is a transcript from Lou Dobbs' show on CNN Last night where
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher was a guest. I thought it was a good interview
and worth adding to this:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0312/15/ldt.00.html

DOBBS: My guest tonight says the U.S. military needs to be bigger to help
support the hundreds of thousands of troops already serving this country
around the world.

Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher has introduced a bill that would increase the
number of Army, Marine, and Air Force servicemen and women by just about
eight percent over a period of some five years.

A member of the House Armed Services Committee, she joins us tonight from
San Francisco.

Good to have you with us.

REP. ELLEN TAUSCHER (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you, Lou.

DOBBS: This legislation that you've introduced, there seems to be, despite
the fact that Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld continues to press back, if you
will, on the idea that we need more troops, it seems to be gaining
considerable momentum.

Is that a correct impression?

TAUSCHER: It is. I think what we now know after September 11 is that the war
on terrorism is very, very labor intensive. And certainly, our experiences
in Afghanistan and Iraq has shown us that we need boots on the ground.

Certainly our Army, our Marines and our Air Force and the Navy have done a
spectacular job. But we're relying too much right now on our guard and
reserve, and frankly I'm deeply concerned about our recruiting retention
rates for the guard and reserve.

So I propose that we lift the floor of the minimum number allowed into the
military by eight percent over the next five years, specifically for the
Army, the Air Force and the Marines. DOBBS: And Congresswoman, as you point
out, the demands that we're putting right now on our men and women in the
National Guard and the reserves is far from typical of the role that they
thought they were going to be assuming. Or that the Pentagon had been
planning for literally decades, isn't it?

TAUSCHER: No, I think Secretary Rumsfeld is right. I supported, since I
joined the Armed Services Committee seven years ago the transformation of
our military. And that is all well and good and necessary for us to do.

But we cannot be in a very labor intensive war on terrorism as we see now in
the Middle East, in Afghanistan, Iraq, and have guard and reserve have their
deployments doubled and tripled and have them lose their jobs, have their
families lose their primary wage earner, have their children be without
their family, spouses without any support, and we really have to make some
sense out of this.

And I think this is a temporary measure. We are gaining bipartisan support,
both in the House and the Senate. I would hope that the Pentagon would begin
to work with us to make this right as soon as possible.

DOBBS: And what are the next legislative steps?

TAUSCHER: Well, we would -- we have some hearings obviously in the House
Armed Services Committee. I think you'll see some action on the Senate side
from somebody like Senator Jack Reid. And I think that what we really need
to do is understand what the resistance from the Pentagon really is about.

I know this is going to be expensive. And I know that's the first question I
asked, how much is it going to cost? And frankly, it looks like it will cost
about $3 billion to $4 billion over five years. That's a lot of money, but
it's a small amount of money compared to the overall defense budget of about
$400 billion a year.

And it certainly is a small amount of money considering the costs that the
Guard and reserve families and the American people are bearing right now in
Iraq and in Afghanistan.

DOBBS: An immense strain on our reserves and our National Guard.
Congresswoman Tauscher, thank you for being with us. We appreciate it.

Israel to coordinate with U.S. on moves: "Israel will coordinate any unilateral moves in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with the United States, the Israeli foreign minister said Tuesday, after meeting with Bush administration officials who oppose any actions that will make it harder to create a Palestinian state."

Israel planned to kill Saddam in 1992: "The Israeli military planned a daring assassination attempt against Saddam Hussein in 1992 - a plot that would have involved landing commandos in Iraq and firing sophisticated missiles at him during a funeral, an Israeli legislator and media said Tuesday."

U.S. says Saddam giving useful insights: "Two U.S. soldiers were seriously wounded in an explosion in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit on Tuesday, a day after U.S. commanders said the former leader was providing useful insights into the escalating insurgency."

Germany to Press Baker on Iraq Contracts Dispute: "Germany said Tuesday it hoped to usetalks with U.S. special envoy James Baker to persuade theUnited States to drop its refusal to grant major rebuildingcontracts in Iraq to countries that opposed the war there. (Reuters)"

Saddam Tells Troops He Wants to Negotiate: ""My name is Saddam Hussein," the fallen Iraqi leader told U.S. troops in English as they pulled him out of a dank hole that had become his home. "I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate." (AP)"

Saddam tells troops he wants to negotiate: ""My name is Saddam Hussein," the fallen Iraqi leader told U.S. troops in English as they pulled him out of a dank hole that had become his home. "I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate.""

More Bombs In Baghdad: "Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - captured by U.S. troops on Saturday - is being held in a secret location. Troops on duty in a still volatile Baghdad have other matters to deal with: two bombs went off there early Monday."

Texas Military Town Hails Saddam Capture: "This battle-tested military community, where more than 30 soldiers have been lost in the war on terrorism, got two pieces of good news over the weekend: Saddam Hussein had been nabbed - and by their soldiers. (AP)"

Chamber Beneath Mud Hut Leads to Saddam: "When darkness fell, the Americans moved into position, 600 of them, from infantrymen to elite special forces. Their target: two houses in this rural village of orange, lemon and palm groves. Someone big was inside, they were told. (AP)"

Warning: Satire Straight Ahead: "Greg Palast positsthat Saddam surfaced because his old buddy James Baker was just appointed to a role in Iraq: "'Hey, my homeboy Jim owes me big time,' Mr. Hussein stated. He asserted that Baker and the prior Bush regime, 'owe me my back pay. After all I did for these guys you'd think they'd have the decency to pay up.'" Continue »"

Iraq's Stalin: "As when Josef Stalin died, an abused nation finds itself full of grief as well as joy when the tyrant falls, reports Toronto's Globe and Mail. Meanwhile, in a tragic footnote to history, celebratory gunfire in the city of Kirkuk alone reportedly killed eight and wounded 80."

U.S. official to meet Mideast leaders: "A U.S. mediator set up a three-way meeting with Israeli and Palestinian officials, designed to bring premiers together and restart long-stalled talks on a peace plan to end to more than three years of bitter violence."

Two Car Bombs Rock Iraq Police Stations, Nine Dead: "Two car bombs exploded at policestations in and near Baghdad on Monday, killing at least ninepeople and shattering any hopes of a quick end to violenceafter the capture of Saddam Hussein. (Reuters)"

Baker Readies Trip on Iraq Reconstruction: "With Saddam Hussein firmly in hand, President Bush's new emissary on postwar Iraq is facing the task of turning congratulations from world powers into wider international support for reconstruction, including promises to erase Iraq's crushing burden of foreign debt. (AP)"

Iraq Saddam's Capture Gives Bush Huge Boost: "Saddam Hussein's capture lifted a huge political weight from President Bush after months of rising casualties and growing doubts about his handling of Iraq. Around the world, it sent a thundering message of America's resolve to prevail in the war against terrorism. (AP)"

Saddam Captured 'Like a Rat' Near Home Town: "U.S. troops captured a bearded,unkempt Saddam Hussein hiding "like a rat" in a hole near hishome town, handing President Bush a major coup after arelentless rise in military casualties in Iraq. (Reuters)"

U.S. captures haggard Saddam in Iraq pit: "Without firing a shot, American forces captured a bearded and haggard-looking Saddam Hussein in a dirt pit across a river from one of his former palaces near his hometown of Tikrit, ending one of the most intensive manhunts in history. The arrest was a huge victory for U.S. forces battling an insurgency by the ousted dictator's followers."

Leftist Israeli lawmakers visit outposts: "Dovish lawmakers and peace activists visited unauthorized Israeli outposts on Sunday to refute claims they were demolished by the Israeli government under terms of a U.S.-backed peace plan."

Iraqis want Saddam tried in Baghdad: "The interim Iraqi government said Sunday it wants to try Saddam Hussein before a special tribunal, but a human rights group voiced deep concern about the legitimacy of the newly established panel."

Iraqis surprised Saddam didn't fight: "Saddam Hussein should have put up a fight or committed suicide, stunned Iraqis said Sunday after watching images of their fallen leader, haggard and humiliated, in American custody."

Saddam's fall: From palaces to filthy pit: "A man who lived in sprawling palaces was pulled from a hole in the dirt. A man who challenged the greatest armies in the world was arrested without firing a shot. A man who embezzled billions of dollars and put his image on every Iraqi bank note was found with a single suitcase of cash - bearing the face of an American, Benjamin Franklin."

President Bush's remarks on the Capture of Saddam Hussein: "President Bush: "Yesterday, December the 13th, at around 8:30 p.m. Baghdad time, United States military forces captured Saddam Hussein alive. He was found near a farmhouse outside the city of Tikrit, in a swift raid conducted without casualties. And now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions. The capture of this man was crucial to the rise of a free Iraq. It marks the end of the road for him, and for all who bullied and killed in his name. For the Baathist holdouts largely responsible for the current violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held. For the vast majority of Iraqi citizens who wish to live as free men and women, this event brings further assurance that the torture chambers and the secret police are gone forever.""

Let Us Rejoice at Saddam's Capture: "Now that Saddam has been captured, it may be useful to refresh Western memory on a few things before the media wipes the historical slate clean. Remember when we all started hating Saddam Hussein in 1990? Why didn't we hate him before? Probably because he was gassing Kurds, developing weapons of mass destruction and torturing his own people, but with Western, primarily US money and weaponry. He did the wrong thing in 1990 and threatened US-UK interests by invading Kuwait to solve legitimate longstanding historical grievances, including the ongoing Kuwaiti theft of Iraqi oil. All attempts to resolve the crisis through negotiations were rebuffed by the US, negotiations which could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Darren Ell writes this opinion piece for Electronic Iraq."

Samarra-US Military Using Weapons of Mass Deception?: "On November 30th, in Samarra, US military officials reported a raging firefight between US forces and resistance fighters. Reports suggested a large, highly organized ambush on US troops within the city by mujahideen and Fedayin fighters. Occupation forces responded fiercely, killing 54 Iraqis, according to General Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Pace stated; "They attacked and they were killed, so I think it will be instructive to them." The story the people of Samarra are telling about the fight goes something like this: US soldiers were guarding a delivery of money to the bank in Samarra, gunfire was heard in the distance and the jumpy Americans opened fire, riddling the city center with bullets, killing 8 civilians and wounding 50 in the process. Dahr Jamail reports for Electronic Iraq."

"This is the better life?": "Today there was a demonstration that marched over the Tigris River to the CPA, concerning detainees and the plight of many innocents currently jailed by the occupation forces. It was a small demonstration, but the potential for problems with the US military was high due to the fact that it didn't attempt to get a permit from the CPA to march. Nonetheless, it went off without any major problems--only a little harassment and warning by some US soldiers as the procession moved past one of the gates into the CPA compound. Soldiers approached with guns, while those manning the heavy machine guns at the gate kept their guns pointed in the direction of the demonstration."

Anger in Ramadi: "There was, after all, a welcome in Ramadi. I can't say the rumours that it's dangerous are exaggerated, but my hands were not cut off and wherever I went people gave me chai, invited me in and wanted to talk. It's true there was a constant percussion of gunfire, but Thursday afternoon is peak time for weddings and a lot of firing in the air goes on. We were outside the army base to ask the commander for an explanation about the raid which killed Ibrahim and Sabah Odai and their cousin Mohammed when guns were pointed at us and we were surrounded by an incoming convoy of humvees. They were already "on lock down" when we got there, apparently having some warning of the attack on the other side of the palace which, a couple of minutes later, made the ground quake as I haven't felt since the war and the appointment with Captain Galloway was postponed by implication. Jo Wilding writes from Iraq."

The mood on campus: "We didn't move for twenty minutes. The petrol queues, combined with the usual chaos of intersections, had packed the traffic solidly so that, if you had an inch either end to rock back and forth in, you counted yourself lucky. Passengers got out of cars and passers-by came off pavements to marshal cars onto the pavement, which freed a bit of space in the middle of the jam though another crisis came up in the shape of a heap of bricks and sand further up the alley. Hussam's college, when we finally reached it, is Nahrain University, which used to be Saddam's university. A plinth at the entrance with a ragged stump on top marks his demise. Jo Wilding writes about the experience of a university community."

Ahmed and Ali: "Ahmed volunteered for the last 15 days of the war as an ambulance driver. He started out trying to bring bodies and injured people to the hospital in his car, but as only one of the hospital's ambulances in use during the later two thirds of war, he and his friend Ali started using a second one instead of the car. "I brought five hundred bodies and many injured people. I brought all of them to Saddam Children's Hospital [part of the Baghdad Medical City] because it was the only one that was still functioning. I never even saw a dead body before and they took me to the morgue and there were 80 bodies there." Jo Wilding writes from Iraq."

Capture not likely to stop Iraq attacks: "The capture of Saddam Hussein, eight months on the run and found hiding in a hole beneath a two-room mud house near his hometown, was unlikely to destroy the anti-U.S. guerrilla insurgency, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Sunday."

Bush says Saddam to face justice: "Saddam Hussein now faces the "justice he denied to millions," President Bush said Sunday, declaring a repressive era in Iraq over but cautioning that attacks on U.S.-led troops would continue."

Baghdad council hears of capture in U.S.: "Four members of Baghdad's city council had just arrived in Colorado to start a tour of U.S. cities and lessons in democracy when the news came in that their country's former dictator had been captured."

U.S. 4th Infantry celebrate in Tikrit: "Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division, who all but missed the invasion of Iraq but have been at the front line of postwar hostilities, spent Sunday afternoon smoking cigars after scoring the allies' biggest triumph since the fall of Baghdad."

Results show Turkish Cypriots deadlocked: "The Turkish Cypriot opposition took a slim lead Sunday in crucial parliamentary elections that will shape the future of divided Cyprus and help define Turkey's relations with the European Union, early election results showed."

Suspicious hole leads soldiers to Saddam: "When darkness fell, the Americans moved into position, 600 of them, from infantrymen to elite special forces. Their target: two houses in this rural village of orange, lemon and palm groves. Someone big was inside, they were told. But when they struck, they found nothing."

Where his rule meant terror and division and brutality, let his capture bring about reconciliation and peace between all the people in Iraq. Saddam is gone from power. He will not be coming back. That the Iraqi people now know, and it is they who will decide his future. And in Iraq today we work hard, the coalition forces from 30 different nations and Iraqis who love their country and who work hard with us to rebuild Iraq to nurture its wealth for all its people. In the timetable we have established, power will be handed over to the Iraqis to run Iraq as a sovereign, independent state, based on the principles of justice, democracy and the rule of law. [....] The rebirth of Iraq is the death of their attempt to sell the lie that we are fighting Muslims. Muslims were Saddam's victims. Muslims, today in Iraq, the beneficiaries of his demise. Let's remember all those Iraqis who died under Saddam. The remains of 400,000 human beings already found in mass graves. So this is a time for celebration, but it is also a time to look forward, to unify and to reconcile. Our thanks go to the coalition forces and the intelligence services who brought about Saddam's capture. Once again, they have proved their professionalism, their courage, and their commitment.

A tyrant falls...: "... and everybody keeps on spinning. The President took the opportunity to again falsely linkSaddam Hussein to international fundamentalist Islamic terrorists. Meanwhile, Joe Lieberman sunk to his lowest moment of an already spotty career with this extreme example of opportunism: "If Howard Dean had his way, Saddam Hussein would be in power today, not in prison,? Lieberman told NBC's "Meet the Press." Some of us just left the ABBA party."

Saddam arrested: "The haggard, disheveled man with a long beard arrested in a farm house in Tikrit bore little resemblance to the image of Saddam Hussein so often seen by the rest of the world. Iraqis celebrated in the streets at the news of their long-time oppresser's capture. There is little doubt that Saddam will be tried by the newly-formed human rights tribunal. But what is unclear is whether his arrest will stem the rising insurgency as the administration has been wont to claim."

Car bomb at Iraqi police station kills 17: "A suspected suicide attacker detonated a car bomb outside an Iraqi police station Sunday near Baghdad, killing at least 17 people and wounding 33 others, hours before the announcement of Saddam Hussein's capture, the U.S. military said."

Interrogators will press Saddam for intel: "Saddam Hussein's interrogators are initially focusing on the former Iraqi president's ties to the guerrilla war, pressing him for intelligence about impending attacks and the locations of resistance leaders, U.S. officials said Sunday."

Close calls preceded U.S. raid for Saddam: "Eight months and four days after the fall of Baghdad, it fell to soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division and a secretive team of commandos to pry Saddam Hussein from a hole in the ground far smaller than the craters made by U.S. bombs that missed him on the war's opening night."

"We're coming with a mighty force to end the reign of your
oppressors," Bush said, addressing Iraqis who might be
listening from afar. "We are coming to bring you food and
medicine and a better life. And we are coming and we will
not stop, we will not relent until your country is free."
We are very proud of you,Keep your helmet on!

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